College Sports Reform Efforts Stall Amid Uncertainty and Criticism

Strategic Insights -

The federal government's proposed measures to reform college sports, including the SCORE Act and the SAFE Act, have made little progress since the House v. NCAA settlement took effect in July 2025. Despite their ambitious aims, critics argue that these bills fail to protect smaller schools, Olympic sports, and women's athletics. The NCAA and Power Five conferences remain skeptical about the SAFE Act, which prioritizes athlete welfare and protects non-revenue sports. Meanwhile, President Trump's "Saving College Sports" executive order has not led to any published federal guidance, leaving universities without clarity on compliance with the House settlement.

Key Takeaways:

  • The SCORE Act has stalled in the House of Representatives, awaiting a full vote, despite initially passing through committee in July 2025.
  • The SAFE Act, introduced by Senate Democrats in September 2025, seeks to stabilize college athletics by prioritizing athlete welfare and protecting non-revenue sports, but the NCAA and major conferences are likely to oppose it due to its omission of antitrust protection and athlete employment status.
  • The "Saving College Sports" executive order, issued by President Trump in July 2025, lacks the force of legislation and has not led to published federal guidance, raising concerns among universities about compliance with the House settlement.
  • The executive order has been criticized for not providing clear direction on athlete employment status, revenue sharing, and media rights consolidation.
  • Athlete advocacy groups and smaller schools have expressed support for the SAFE Act, which offers stronger protections for athletes and non-revenue sports.
  • The NCAA has been criticized for its handling of the College Sports Commission (CSC), which has struggled to keep pace with the volume of submissions and approvals for athlete deals.

Statistics:

  • Between June 11, 2025, and August 31, 2025, universities submitted 8,539 deals (valued at approximately $80 million), but as of September 2025, only 6,090 (valued at $35.42 million) had been approved.
  • The average approval time for deals has been reported to be several weeks or more, with some collectives paying athletes before their deals have cleared the system.
  • The SAFE Act proposes a new committee to pool and distribute media rights and revenues to schools, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
  • The SCORE Act aims to grant the NCAA and athletic conferences a limited exemption from antitrust suits, shielding them from lawsuits that have challenged their authority and practices.

Sources:

  • "Updated NIL Deal Flow Report," dated September 5, 2025, available at https://assets.tina.io/29b83311-e587-42b1-861e-87ebde9aa253/NIL%20Deal%20Flow%20Report%209.5.25.pdf
  • Athletes.org, "College Athletes Speak Out Against the Score Act Unite as Athletes.Org Executive Committee," available at https://www.athletes.org/news/college-athletes-speak-out-against-the-score-act-unite-as-athletes-org-executive-committee/
  • Athletes.org, "The Score Act Is Detrimental to All College Athletes and All College Sports Athletes.Org Details Why," available at https://www.athletes.org/news/the-score-act-is-detrimental-to-all-college-athletes-and-all-college-sports-athletes-org-details-why/